501.02.01.001 (ISCC FM) Inmate Counts 11-19

Idaho Department of Correction
Field Memorandum
ISCC
Control Number:
501.02.01.001 (ISCC FM)
Version:
V2.3
Page Number:
1 of 4
Adopted:
07/01/2014
Reviewed:
10/01/2019
Next Review:
10/01/2021
Title:
Inmate Counts
____________________________
This document was approved by Jay Christensen, Warden, ISCC
Purpose
The purpose of this field memorandum is to provide specific guidelines that are unique to this facility in order to fully implement standard operating procedure501.02.01.001. The Deputy
Warden of Security has oversight responsibility.
General Statement
This field memorandum is subject to revision at the discretion of theChief of Prisons,Deputy Chief of Prisons, Warden,the Director, or Deputy Director of the Idaho Department of Correction.
Any one of these persons may revise, suspend, or rescind any procedural steps, at any time, at hissole discretion.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Definitions………………………………………………………………………………….1Procedural Guidelines…………………………………………………………………….2Prior to Count……………………………………………………………………………...2Clearing the Count………………………………………………………………………...3Formal
Counts……………………………………………………………………………..3Counting Inmates on out-Counts………………………………………………………...4Emergency Counts………………………………………………………………………..4Random Identification Card Count………………………………………………………4Vehicle
Traffic During Count……………………………………………………………..4Reference…………………………………………………………………………………..4DEFINITIONS
Formal Count: The scheduled or unscheduled physical tracking of inmates through the reconciliation of the facility master count sheet against unit count or out-count sheets.
Identification (ID) Card Count: A count that requires the direct comparison of every inmate against the inmate’s photograph to determine if any inmates are not in their assigned locations.

Informal Count: The unscheduled count of inmates conducted for the purpose of inmate accountability between formal counts.
Master Count Sheet: A document maintained by the shift commander that indicates the housing location (unit, cell, and bed) of each inmate within an institution. Sitting Count: Is a count
that requires inmates to sit on their assigned beds so that staff can assess theinmates’ well-being.Out-Counts:Countsthat aretakenofinmateswhoarenotintheirassignedlivingareaat thetimethatcount
istaken.R&E Out-Count Verification: R&E officerswill validate out-counts for Post with only one security staff member or out counts prepared by assignedstaff. All out-count sheetswill
be written in black ink and contain two (2) signatures.
PROCEDURAL GUIDELINESThe count system will provide at least five (5) formal counts each 24 hours. The count systems will ensure an accurate system of inmate accountability.Formal counts
are conducted at0100, 0500, 1100, 1545, and 2115 hours.All movement ofinmates will cease from the time the count is announced until it is cleared by the shift commander. During institutional
count procedures, unit staff will not use the office phones and limit radio traffic until count is cleared. This will enable the shift commander to contact units for count verifications.Emergencies
are considered exceptions.All inmates will be counted in their bunks or in approved out-count areas. A staff member will deliver the count sheets to the shift commander in the shift
commanders’ office. The shift commander will reconcile all unit count slips (Attachment 1), area out-count slips (Attachment 2), with the ISCC Master Count Sheet (Attachment 4). The
Master Count Sheet must then reconcile with Reflections and Vacant Bed Roster. The shift commander must clear the count before the institution is returned to normal operations.TheControl
Sergeantis responsible to maintain count binders that are kept in central control. Central control staff will be responsible for the changes to the binders when the control sergeant
is not on duty.
PRIOR TO COUNT
15 minutes prior to count the central control staff will provide a bed vacancy report to the shift commander.CLEARING THE COUNTR&E staff will pick up and deliver all out-count slips
to the shift commander.Assigned unit staff will deliver the count slips from the units to the shift commander.Unit staff will call in their unit count totals to the shift commander.Once
the shift commander has received all called in count totals from the units and all out-count slips he/she will reconcile the totals with the ISCC Master Count Sheet. When all unit count
slips have arrived the shift commander will ensure they are correct, clear the count and have control announce that count is clear.
FORMAL COUNTS
Inmates have approximately ten minutes to return to their bunks after recall has been announced. When count time has been announced over the institutional radio, the unit officers will
begin to physically count inmates inthe unit. Count sheets will not be filled out prior to conducting the physical count.
Two officers will be present when taking count. The first officer conducting the count will walk the tier and physically look into each cell. When an inmate is present on a bunk the
officer will put a “1” on the count sheet in the appropriate block for that bunk. If the bunk is empty, a “0” will be written in the block prior to moving to the next cell.
The second officer will conduct a count in the opposite direction using the same process. When both officers have completed their counts, both count sheets will be comparedfor discrepanciesbefore
leaving the tier. If discrepancies exist, both officers will recount the tier where the discrepancy exists.
Officers will secure all cell doors before starting the count. The doors will remain closed until count is clear.
This procedure will be conducted for every tier in the unit.
In units with open dorm settings and three officers are present in theunit; two officers will count in the same manner as described above. During the count process the third officer

will maintain direct observation of the officers conducting the count from control.
All inmates in all units will remain on their bunks until the shift commander has cleared the soft count.
When conducting counts, officers must be positive that living, breathing flesh is seen. Lumps under blankets, hair, or body parts showing do not constitute a successful count. The inmate
presence must be confirmed. If lighting conditions hamper staffs ability to make this determination staff will utilize their flashlight to aid in ensuring the inmatesare present and
alive.
The 1545 count will be a sitting count, meaning inmates are to be in a sitting position on their assigned bunks.
OUT-COUNTS and VERIFICATION
When count time is called over the institutional radio, staff will have the inmates line-up in unit and cell order. A second assigned staff member willarrive to count the inmates in
the out-count area. One staff member will start at one end of the line with the out count sheet and the other staff member will start at the other end of the line recording bed assignments.
Both staff will complete the count before comparing count totals and bed assignments. When the staff members are satisfied that the information on the out-count sheet is correct they
will counter sign the sheet and deliver it to the shift commander in the shift commanders office.
If any discrepancies are found on the out–count sheet, the entire out-count area will be recounted.
EMERGENCY COUNTS
This is a formal count taken at a time outside of the scheduled formal counts.
Reasons for emergency counts include but are not limited to:
A belief that inmates are missing. It will need to be determined which inmates are missing.
Following any major disturbance, a count must be taken to determine if an inmate has escaped or is in hiding.
When fog, power failure, etc. limit visibility, the shift commander may choose to count at more frequent intervals than the regularly scheduled formal counts.
At the shift commander or higher discretion an emergency count may be conducted.
On occasion, the shift commander may initiate an ID count to verify unit rosters with the institutional CIS roster.Officers conducting this count will verify placement of inmates with
their respective unit rosters.
RANDOM IDENTIFICATION CARD COUNT
As a preventative measure to reduce and prevent sexual assault within IDOC facilities, random identification counts will be performed at the first count after the inmates are secured
for the night. This requires staff to verify the inmate’s ID with his face.
One or two units, on one night, once a week will perform random identification counts as directed by the shift commander with approval from the Captain. The Captain of security will
have oversight of this process and monitor its implementation. Units and days are chosen at random. The pattern of days and units is subject to change.
VEHICLE TRAFFIC DURING COUNT
All vehicle traffic entering or exiting the institution during count will occur only with the approval of the shift commander.
REFERENCE
SOP 501.02.01.001, Correctional Facility Daily Count Procedures